Volhin Blackwater
Sir Volhin Blackwater '''is a disavowed knight and member of the House Redwater and heir to the dominion of the Throne of Blood. Volhin struck his banners when truth of the Thanon coup emerged and led an exodus of Redwater bannermen. He becomes one of the most trusted companions of both Stalaheid Udin and Alnair Lunatus. Character & Appearance Volhin obeys orders given and only provides counsel when asked. Known for his willingness to cooperate with others and only assert authority in unreasonable conditions. Volhin was trained to in horsemanship from an early age, and is trained as a professional knight and horse archer. As a result his upper body is well developed and he is skilled with a bastard sword. Volhin is considered a strong and reliable leader and is kept close to hierarchy after Stalaheid elects him his proxy. Volhin is described as very tall, lean, with a nose like a beak. He is often clammy, cold, and sweating. He has long loose black hair often thought to have been encrusted with salt from the Redwater. While Volhin is not particularly muscular he has proved himself as a skilled warrior and knight. History Volhin's father was Lord Hymun Redwater, who raped his mother Lapena during the annual Gouge. Volhin was taken into House Redwater after Volhin entered a tournament and managed to disarm Sir Roarke Winterstead. Volhin, when questioned of lineage claimed Hymun as his father. As prize for the tournament, Volhin denied the offer of 10,000 phyres and instead requested to be accepted as a knight of the Throne of Blood. Hymun who was the Lord of the Veins protested however, his older brother Wayne Redwater in an effort to usurp his young brother, knighted Volhin and assigned him to the Veins. Volhin's surname however continued to be Volhin the Bastard but eventually became known as '''Volhin the Red. '''Despite obtaining his desired knighthood he was not legitimized. Hymun denied him as a son and assigned Volhin as Quarster, meant to settle quarrels within the hold, a grueling, tedious job. Volhin however accepted the title and served affectively until his father's death of sourlip at a local whorehouse. Upon this Volhin swore fealty to his half-brother Mandon Redwater. Eventually Mandon fell ill (due to the rat plague) Lord Wayne refused to knight Volhin and instead appointed Sir Gunther Malecast as ruler of the Veins. Volhin was then promoted by Wayne as his lieutenant over all the Bloodlands. However under Wayne, Volhin was constantly pubicly humiliated by his uncle. Often ridiculed for his smashed face after taking a mace by Sir Karsten Regmar at the Battle at the Throat. Volhin fell in love with one of Lady Lerisa Balenmore's handmaidens, Karol. Volhin asked for her hand, however when Wayne discovered this, it is indicated Karol was his mistress unbeknownst to Lerisa, Wayne ordered Volhin to hang Karol after striping her naked. Volhin refused and was flogged for his disobedience. Following this Volhin raised a host loyal only to him and on the Gouge, and seized the Veins. While this defied Wayne, Volhin had gained much influence having control of the Veins as Hymun's heir and usurping the Malecast influence. When House Thanon led the coup and overthrew House Regmar, Volhin sided with Halemar, defying his uncle. Halemar promised legitimization of those who came to his call, despite the bad blood from Volhin slaying Karsten Udin, Halemar's cousin, Volhin was accepted. Volhin was despised by Udins for the killing of Karsten and his status of being a bastard. Volhin's title became '''Volhin Blackwater as he blacked out his colors of House Redwater for the Udin Black. Recent Events ''Storm's Wake After unearthing the truth of Haludin Regmar's death, Volhin led an exodus from the Veins after attempting to save Lady Lerisa Balenmore and was routed from his hold. With 600 loyal men Volhin swore the oath of fealty to Halemar. Despite Volhin having killed his cousin Karsten Regmar, Halemar accepted his loyalty but distrusted him giving him the position of Sergeant of the Durogoth mercenaries. When Stalaheid assumes Halemar's campaign, Volhin is among the few bannermen that accept Stalaheid as their inherent leader, despite being relatively insiginficant amongst those, he made sure that the Durogoth mercenaries were loyal to the new commander. Fading Light Halemar gives Volhin and his mercenaries to Stalaheid, affectively terminating Volhin's position. However Stalaheid recalled Volhin's support and the two began forming a close bond. Volhin serves as Stalaheid's lieutenant and he is eventually convinced by Lord Carmen Sythea to reclaim his men of Blackwater. By doing so Volhin disputes the command of Herceus Crane and Halemar. Herceus reprimands Volhin publicly however Halemar allows Volhin to keep the company, wishing to absolve dissent but most importantly, the fraction of their army were stark Stalaheid supporters. When Stalaheid calls for Udin banners to assist the Balhalan Seahalls, Volhin pledges his 200 men along with Stalaheid's own 50 men, and the Pale Horde. Volhin assists in liberating the Seahalls, following Volhin is given command of the remaining Balenmore fleet and worked jointly with Chief Longfin to liberate the Sumerfords and Avenfell which were beseiged by the mur. Rising Tides Volhin follows Stalaheid as a seperatist from Halemar Udin and is appointed Stalaheid's second in command. As first act as commander, Volhin is sent to treat with Palen Crestfallen. Upon their meeting, Palen attempts to assassinate Volhin and succeeds in killing Sir Liam Doyle and Sir Kellen Randal. Volhin in turn manages to kill Sir Gremon Slinther and takes Sir Preston Oldwreath hostage. Once witnessing Palen feed his fallen lieutenants fed to Marcan's panther, Volhin slits the Oldwreath's throat and dives into the sewers to escape the Duskcastle. Volhin is then forced to smuggle himself through the Udin loyalist lines, where he meets Sir Amor Faxen. Volhin is impressed with Stalaheid's decision to host a peace conference for he and Zerick Thanon. Volhin is included and participates as Stalaheid's second in command. To attend the peace conference Volhin is named by Stalaheid as a knight of House Udin. After the pact is made, Stalaheid resigns as the ultimate leader of his armies and instead names Volhin his proxy. Volhin accepts graciously and is told he should marry by those around him however he refuses, stating that his love died long ago. Volhin works in joint with Zerick then to end Halemar and Marcan's campaigns to bring peace to Idrasil. Volhin marches the Udin seperatists south to flank Halemar and orders the fleets up the Ebontide to claim Idrasil. It is revealed the Volhin is secretly plotting to assume lordship of the Idran for himself or at least Stalaheid. However as his forces assemble, from Carathdur a massive mur assault is launched where Volhin's fleets are completely destroyed. Volhin's armies clumsily assemble to face the mur but are nearly destroyed and are routed. Volhin with his remaining seperatists flee to Sunbasa. Breaking Skies Following his defeat at the Ebontide, Volhin flees from Sunbasa to Ravenhelm after the city is sacked. There to protect Volhin, Alnair legitimizes him and gives him House Blackwater, assuming the previous dominion and influence of the nearly abolished House Redwater. Volhin assumes leadership of all Udin factions, including Marcan's. Furthermore House Blackwater accepts no lords and instead is composed entirely of knights, both invited and of will. The list includes Palen Crestfallen, Amor Faxen, Graham Faxen, Theron Byrde, Remus Elecan, Nilis Ivorsan, and Thamsen Redwater. Volhin however is of several commanders that act as the head of the united Remnants of the Old Kingdoms. Despite his new position, Volhin is constantly ridiculed for his house's sigil which includes the traitorous dawn with an eagle flying through it with words that say "Dawn on our Shoulders." While Volhin explains that he is not loyal to the Archprophet, his argument that the dawn still has meaning is not accepted. In addition Volhin is attributed the most catastrophic failure of the war against the mur by the Thanons, ''being broken on the Ebontide had apparently opened the rest of the continent to utter destruction. Surprisingly, Volhin assists Halemar once he returns to the capital, but refuses to pledge his banners to him. Volhin's duties include the secuirty of the inner walls, the refugees, and operations outside the walls involving knights. At the Battle of Ravenhelm, Volhin is charged assisting Zerick in holding the eastern wall. When it is breached Volhin becomes seperated from Zerick and begins rallying an independent host to reach the Eye's Sight where he begins rallying fleeing men to hold the city. Volhin's organizing of the rear lines was crucial as the plaza was prepared for incoming mur and held back the tide under his command extremely affectively. Volhin ordered phalanxes supported by archers covering the three main roads while he had archers inflitrate rooftops and the remaining foot soldiers clogging alley ways with explosives and other means of demolition. When the battle ended Volhin was one of the few who survived and his house for the most part was decimated other than he and Amor Faxen. Volhin agrees to follow Alnair and Halemar to March on the Fallen Dawn where they attempt a last desperate rearguard move so the remaining Vanadun who were leaving could get the remaining populace to safety in the north. During the battle Volhin was in charge of the vanguard officially but fought alongside the Pale Knight and Seku the Necromancer. Following the victory at the Fallen Dawn, Volhin was given the Bloodlands and the Redwater to which he in turn gave to Amor Faxen and instead assumed the Duskcastle and became Warden of the Northwastes. There he settled and married Lady Sianna Brinley of the Frost Isles which was the beginning of magnificent And he had seen the true horror that came from the north, his liege lord's brother: the one who called himself king. Sir Liam Doyle and Sir Kellan Randal fed to Marcan's panther. Volhin grimaced at the thought and plunged his fingers into his open wound to remove all traces of the poison, he fell to his knees ignoring their shriek as they struck the cavern floor and the feel of warm blood pool. There was only one thing left for him in the bowels of the Duskcastle as he purged himself of the toxins. With his other hand Volhin tore at the sigil of his liege lord, the sheliak of the Wolfstone and he stripped himself of his lord. Here, where the sewers ran was no place for the proud sheliak, not after his failure. No. Now it was a liability. With disgust he ripped the tunic from his body and threw it into the river of urine and feces where it might be carried to a distant place. Volhin cringed as he pulled his fingers out. It was a long road ahead of him and now he belonged to no house.